The 250th anniversary of the U.S.A. presents a rare opportunity for cultural reflection — especially as the focus turns to Philadelphia, a cradle of liberty and the place where the American Experiment found its voice. In celebration of that legacy, WRTI presents Let Freedom Ring, a series of music-related stories that show just who we are.
A century ago, they were a marquee duo. Today, guitarist Eddie Lang and violinist Joe Venuti are known only to jazz connoisseurs — but their story, originating in an Italian enclave of South Philadelphia, deserves to be widely known.